diff --git a/aiui/packages/app/src/__tests__/fixtures/nodeDemoPrompts.ts b/aiui/packages/app/src/__tests__/fixtures/nodeDemoPrompts.ts
index 7b3454b6..4a072de6 100644
--- a/aiui/packages/app/src/__tests__/fixtures/nodeDemoPrompts.ts
+++ b/aiui/packages/app/src/__tests__/fixtures/nodeDemoPrompts.ts
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ txindex=1
 
 # RPC Settings
 rpcuser=archipelago
-rpcpassword=archipelago123
+rpcpassword=EXAMPLE-ONLY-not-a-real-password
 rpcallowip=127.0.0.1
 rpcbind=127.0.0.1
 rpcport=8332
diff --git a/aiui/packages/app/src/components/chat/ChatWindow.vue b/aiui/packages/app/src/components/chat/ChatWindow.vue
index d287a99d..e8f969ca 100644
--- a/aiui/packages/app/src/components/chat/ChatWindow.vue
+++ b/aiui/packages/app/src/components/chat/ChatWindow.vue
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@
 import { computed, ref, watch, nextTick } from 'vue'
 import { useVirtualizer } from '@tanstack/vue-virtual'
 import { useChatStore } from '@/stores/chat'
+import { DEMO_CONTENT_ENABLED } from '@/utils/demoContent'
 import { useAI, streamWithModel } from '@/composables/useAI'
 import { useContentPanel } from '@/composables/useContentPanel'
 import { useComparisonMode } from '@/composables/useComparisonMode'
@@ -354,6 +355,18 @@ async function handleSend(text: string, images: ImageAttachment[] = []) {
   }
 
   if (trimmed === '/seed') {
+    // Demo-site/dev only (S7): the seed showcase is fabricated example
+    // content and must not ship in the node build.
+    if (!DEMO_CONTENT_ENABLED) {
+      const convId = chatStore.activeConversationId
+      if (convId) {
+        chatStore.addMessage(convId, {
+          role: 'assistant',
+          content: 'The `/seed` showcase is only available in demo builds.',
+        })
+      }
+      return
+    }
     await chatStore.loadSeedChats()
     // loadSeedChats already switches to the seed conversation
     // Collapse chat so user sees PromptIndex for quick picking
diff --git a/aiui/packages/app/src/components/chat/PromptPalette.vue b/aiui/packages/app/src/components/chat/PromptPalette.vue
index de447518..cb226cab 100644
--- a/aiui/packages/app/src/components/chat/PromptPalette.vue
+++ b/aiui/packages/app/src/components/chat/PromptPalette.vue
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { ref, computed, watch } from 'vue'
 import { usePromptTemplateStore, extractVariables, type PromptTemplate } from '@/stores/promptTemplates'
+import { DEMO_CONTENT_ENABLED } from '@/utils/demoContent'
 
 interface PaletteCommand {
   id: string
@@ -99,7 +100,10 @@ const BUILT_IN_COMMANDS: PaletteCommand[] = [
   { id: 'cmd-nostr', slash: '/nostr', title: 'Nostr', preview: 'Browse the Nostr network feed' },
   { id: 'cmd-design', slash: '/design', title: 'Design System', preview: 'Open the design system viewer' },
   { id: 'cmd-search', slash: '/search ', title: 'Search', preview: 'Search your content library' },
-  { id: 'cmd-seed', slash: '/seed', title: 'Seed', preview: 'Load seed conversations for all content types' },
+  // /seed loads fabricated showcase content — demo-site/dev builds only (S7)
+  ...(DEMO_CONTENT_ENABLED
+    ? [{ id: 'cmd-seed', slash: '/seed', title: 'Seed', preview: 'Load seed conversations for all content types' }]
+    : []),
   { id: 'cmd-freefilms', slash: '/freefilms', title: 'Free Films', preview: 'Browse free documentary films from InDeeHub' },
 ]
 
diff --git a/aiui/packages/app/src/pages/GuidePage.vue b/aiui/packages/app/src/pages/GuidePage.vue
index 94280086..8797b3c4 100644
--- a/aiui/packages/app/src/pages/GuidePage.vue
+++ b/aiui/packages/app/src/pages/GuidePage.vue
@@ -197,8 +197,9 @@
         </ul>
       </section>
 
-      <!-- Try It -->
-      <section class="guide-section">
+      <!-- Try It — demo builds only (S7): the demo conversation is
+           fabricated example node state, demo-site/dev only -->
+      <section v-if="DEMO_CONTENT_ENABLED" class="guide-section">
         <h2 class="section-title">
           <span class="section-icon">&#x1F680;</span>
           Try It Out
@@ -220,6 +221,7 @@
 import { ref } from 'vue'
 import { useRouter } from 'vue-router'
 import { useChatStore } from '@/stores/chat'
+import { DEMO_CONTENT_ENABLED } from '@/utils/demoContent'
 
 const router = useRouter()
 const chatStore = useChatStore()
diff --git a/aiui/packages/app/src/stores/chat.ts b/aiui/packages/app/src/stores/chat.ts
index 806a8a49..445d6785 100644
--- a/aiui/packages/app/src/stores/chat.ts
+++ b/aiui/packages/app/src/stores/chat.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { defineStore } from 'pinia'
 import { ref, computed, watch } from 'vue'
 import type { Message, Conversation, WebSearchResult } from '@aiui/core/types/message'
 import { apiFetch } from '@/utils/api-fetch'
+import { DEMO_CONTENT_ENABLED } from '@/utils/demoContent'
 
 function generateId(): string {
   if (typeof crypto !== 'undefined' && typeof crypto.randomUUID === 'function') {
@@ -406,8 +407,9 @@ export const useChatStore = defineStore('chat', () => {
     return siblings
   }
 
-  /** Load all seed prompts as a single conversation */
+  /** Load all seed prompts as a single conversation — demo builds only (S7) */
   async function loadSeedChats(): Promise<number> {
+    if (!DEMO_CONTENT_ENABLED) return 0
     try {
       const { seedPromptsToConversation } = await import('@/__tests__/fixtures/seedPrompts')
       const conv = seedPromptsToConversation() as Conversation
@@ -429,8 +431,10 @@ export const useChatStore = defineStore('chat', () => {
     }
   }
 
-  /** Load node demo conversation showing local node capabilities */
+  /** Load node demo conversation — demo builds only (S7); the content is
+   *  fabricated node state and must not ship on real nodes */
   async function loadNodeDemoChat(): Promise<number> {
+    if (!DEMO_CONTENT_ENABLED) return 0
     try {
       const { nodeDemoToConversation } = await import('@/__tests__/fixtures/nodeDemoPrompts')
       const conv = nodeDemoToConversation() as Conversation
@@ -472,11 +476,16 @@ export const useChatStore = defineStore('chat', () => {
     }
   }
 
-  /** Seed demo conversations (guide + node demo) on first use */
+  /** Seed demo conversations (guide always; node demo only in demo builds) */
   async function seedDemoConversations(): Promise<void> {
+    // The guide is genuine onboarding documentation — always seed it.
+    // `node-demo` is FABRICATED node state (invented balances, file listings,
+    // a fake bitcoin.conf) — demo-site/dev builds only (S7, operator
+    // decision 2026-08-07: mocks belong to the demo site, not shipped code).
+    const wantDemo = DEMO_CONTENT_ENABLED
     const hasGuide = conversations.value.has('aiui-guide')
     const hasDemo = conversations.value.has('node-demo')
-    if (hasGuide && hasDemo) {
+    if (hasGuide && (hasDemo || !wantDemo)) {
       // Already seeded — still select guide if nothing active
       if (!activeConversationId.value) {
         activeConversationId.value = 'aiui-guide'
@@ -485,15 +494,15 @@ export const useChatStore = defineStore('chat', () => {
     }
     try {
       const { guideToConversation } = await import('@/__tests__/fixtures/guideConversation')
-      const { nodeDemoToConversation } = await import('@/__tests__/fixtures/nodeDemoPrompts')
       const guide = guideToConversation() as Conversation
-      const demo = nodeDemoToConversation() as Conversation
       const merged = new Map(conversations.value)
       if (!merged.has(guide.id)) {
         merged.set(guide.id, guide)
         immediateIDBSave(guide)
       }
-      if (!merged.has(demo.id)) {
+      if (wantDemo && !merged.has('node-demo')) {
+        const { nodeDemoToConversation } = await import('@/__tests__/fixtures/nodeDemoPrompts')
+        const demo = nodeDemoToConversation() as Conversation
         merged.set(demo.id, demo)
         immediateIDBSave(demo)
       }
diff --git a/aiui/packages/app/src/utils/demoContent.ts b/aiui/packages/app/src/utils/demoContent.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1464575b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/aiui/packages/app/src/utils/demoContent.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+/**
+ * Demo-content gate (operator decision 2026-08-07): seed/mock showcase
+ * conversations exist for the demo.archipelago-foundation.org website ONLY
+ * and must not ship in the node build. Demo builds set
+ * `VITE_DEMO_CONTENT=true`; local dev keeps them for development.
+ *
+ * Anything behind this flag is fabricated example content — never present
+ * it as real node data in a shipped build.
+ */
+export const DEMO_CONTENT_ENABLED =
+  import.meta.env.DEV || import.meta.env.VITE_DEMO_CONTENT === 'true'